Day 1: Arrival and then transfer to Lake Natron
Your magical holiday begins as you board your flight to Tanzania; the Heart of an African Safari. On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport you will clear with the customs and immigration as our representative will be waiting to meet you and brief you about your upcoming safari. Thereafter, drive off to Lake Natron (approximately 136 KM west of Arusha). After clearance at mandatory three gates and accompanied with a local Maasai guide, you will be driven to the start point for hiking through the river valley to discover and refresh at the waterfalls of Engaresero river. The hike takes about 2-3 hours and on return, you will be driven to the lodge. The hike follows a river bed which involves the crossing of huge gorges and the discovery of a huge platform with many springs flowing out of a huge rocky wall from where you can take a good shower on a hot day. Later on, enjoy a stroll through the local villages in the company of a local tour guide. On this escapade, you will sample a true local African life as you engage indigenous and friendly people of the area. In the evening, you will check into Masai Giraffe Eco Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Masai Giraffe Eco Lodge with all meals included.

Day 2: Lake Natron – Lake Manyara NP
Take an early guided walk from the Lodge after breakfast; to the Southern part of Lake Natron to explore the ecological diversity and discover the magnificent breeding sites of flamingos. Around two million of these large birds migrate each year to nest on the salty pack ice, forming in the dry season in the middle of the Lake Natron. Your guide will explain to you about the flora and fauna of the lake as well as cultural, ritual and customs of Maasai people who are the locals here. Your walk will then be extended to admire one of the oldest foot prints of homosapiens believed to date back almost 120,000 years. After the lake tour, exit the three gates and drive to Lake Manyara National park for game viewing. Lake Manyara is a small park at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. Its groundwater forest offers an excellent change of scenery from more savannah-dominated parts. Although the park is known for tree-climbing lions, the big cats aren’t easily seen. Elephants are very prolific and are also part of main attractions. In the evening, exit the park and drive to Karatu Area for dinner and overnight at Farm of Dreams Lodge.

Accommodation: Farm of Dreams Lodge or similar

Day 3: Lake Eyasi – Hadzabe & Datoga Tribesmen
After early breakfast, depart the lodge with packed lunch for a hunt with the Hadzabe. The Hadza, as they are better known, are East Africa’s last remaining true hunter gatherers. As one of Africa’s oldest tribes, they have lived sustainably on their land near the Rift Valley, birthplace of humanity, for over 50,000 years. Their current number stands at 1,000 and they are on the verge of extinction, living in the valley of Lake Eyasi and surrounding hills. Their language is similar to the Bushmen of South Africa who speak the Click language. With their strong bows whose string is made out of giraffe tendons and their arrows treated with a poison extracted from the Desert Rose, they hunt both small and large animals. As the men go on hunting sessions, women gather fruits and berries. They eat an amazing variety of wild fruits and berries like no other tribe in Tanzania which has proven to be their survival strength. They do not own belongings other than what they need for survival like the bows and arrows and some pots for cooking. Also, you will visit the Datoga Tribesmen. Experience a genuine and authentic cultural encounter with these tribes and spend some time with them; learning their various traditions and skills. These are fascinating tribes whose ancient cultures still exist in our modern times.
In the evening, you will be driven back to Karatu for dinner and overnight at Farm of Dreams Lodge.

Accommodation: Farm of Dreams Lodge or similar

Day 4: Karatu – Olduvai Gorge – Serengeti National Park Depart to Serengeti National Park after early breakfast via Ngorongoro Conservation Area, stopping at the rim for a spectacular view of the Ngorongoro crater. Pass through Olduvai Gorge to the site of the Leakey family where 50 km fossils long were discovered from almost two million
years ago. Olduvai Gorge is a site that holds the earliest evidence of the existence of human ancestors. Paleoanthropologists have found hundreds of fossilized bones and stone tools in the area dating back millions of years, leading them to conclude that humans evolved in Africa. Continuing as far as the eyes can see is the vast Serengeti. “Serengeti” means endless plain. And this is 6900 sq. mile (1800 sq. km). It is also home to 2,000,000 wildebeests and 800,000 zebras. Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th worldwide wonder. The Serengeti is famed for its annual migration during which time,
some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelles join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing towards Maasai Mara in Kenya. Even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephants and giraffes, and thousands upon thousands of elands, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle just to name but a few. In central Serengeti, you will have high chances of seeing the elephants, giraffes, hippos, warthogs, gazelles, impalas, lions, leopards, cheetahs and many more. You will arrive in time for hot shower, dinner and
overnight at Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge in Central Serengeti.

Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge or similar

Day 5: Serengeti

Leave the lodge with picnic lunch after breakfast and enjoy a full day game drive in the Serengeti National Park covering as much area as possible. The wildebeest migration normally passes through the area in April, May and November, however the Seronera area is within reach of both the southern plains and the Mara River on the North.
The resident game in the area is phenomenal and species such as elephants, buffalos, gazelles, zebras, lions and a variety of other predators and herbivores can be seen here all year round. Explore the range of different habitats that include swamps, woodland, soda lakes and the world-famous Serengeti short grass plains. See great herds of wildebeests and zebras. Later in the evening, return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge or similar

Day 6: Serengeti – Ngorongoro

Early breakfast and depart the lodge with packed lunch as you drive towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On arrival, descend over 600 meters into the crater and have a full day crater tour. Supported by a year-round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro crater hosts a vast variety of animals e.g. herds of wildebeests, zebras, buffalos, elands, warthogs, hippos and giant African elephants. While here, visit Lake Magadi which is a large but shallow alkaline lake in the South Western corner of the crate. This is also the best place to spot the endangered black Rhino. Your packed lunch will be enjoyed at the hippo pool. Later in the afternoon, ascend the crater, exit the park and drive to Maramboi Tented Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Maramboi Tented Lodge or similar

Day 7: Tarangire National Park

After early breakfast, we will depart the lodge and make a short drive to Tarangire National Park for Game viewing. We will then enjoy our packed lunch overlooking the Tarangire River, before enjoying the afternoon game drive. Among the thousands of Baobab trees that mark the landscape, we will enjoy Tanzania’s largest concentration of elephants. In addition to elephants, leopards, ostriches, lions, warthogs, zebras and cheetahs are common sightings in Tarangire. If you are fortunate, you may encounter the much-endangered wild dog. As this park is slightly off the main safari route, majority of travelers leave this out in favor of the nearer ones, which makes major parts of Tarangire untouched and rich. Later, we shall drive back to Arusha for drop off to Kilimanjaro International Airport to catch your flight out.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

End of Safari